The US military’s Humvee jeeps have demonstrated severe payload and survivability limitations. Nevertheless, they remain a fixture in the fleet, and new orders continue. At one point, the US Marines’ objective was to restrict Hummers to use “inside the wire” of American bases in Iraq. Instead, a sharp reduction in violence within Iraq, and a lower vehicle threat level so far in Afghanistan, have given the HMMWVs a new lease on life. They are still seeing extensive use on the front lines, and the early wear created by the weight of their add-on armor has led to RESET maintenance programs for some Hummers and allied giveaways for others.

By mid-2007, the US Army had about 19,000 HMMWVs serving on the Iraqi front alone. As they wear out and are given away, or are sent to a depot, they must be replaced. Some replacement involves cycling vehicles from other units into theater, but those units must eventually have their lost vehicles replaced, in order to maintain their own readiness rates for deployment. Hence the necessity for ongoing buys of more Humvees, in the absence of a program to provide replacements on a fleet-wide basis. This Spotlight article covers the family’s newest variants, and chronicles the US military’s 2009-2010 purchases.

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Humvee Replacements?

HMMWV, IEDed(click to view full)

Orders and shipments of blast-resistant MRAP vehicles have largely ceased, after a run of over 15,000 vehicles. Many now serve in theater, where they replace Hummers in some roles. Some are being upgraded with improved suspension systems, in order to give them better off-road performance.

The 40,000 to 60,000 vehicle JLTV program will not field Hummer replacements until 2014 – if it survives at all. The US military is also running an interim M-ATV program that has purchased over 5,000 lighter blast-resistant vehicles for use on Afghanistan’s front lines, and they have proven to be very popular in theater.

All of these options distinguish themselves from the HMMWV by having smooth, shaped bottoms that deflect land mine blasts away, instead of flat bottoms with lots of pockets that catch, reflect, and re-catch under-body explosion blasts, in an iterative cycle. They’re also built on truck-class frames and suspensions that can carry more weight. While a fully-loaded HMMWV weighs in at around 12,500 pounds, and will run into issues if kept at that load for long periods, some of the comparable MRAP Clas I 4×4 vehicles have an empty weight of over 30,000 pounds.

Beyond the official army programs, there are also a number of privately-developed HMMWV upgrade programs underway at firms like BAE Systems, Oshkosh Defense, and even smaller firms like Granite Systems. They’re offering to upgrade existing Humvees with improved all-terrain suspensions, and even adding blast-deflecting v-hulls to the platform. With future funding likely to be tight, these offerings are being developed to give the US Army an alternative or a supplement to large-scale buys like JLTV, and could also see business from the platform’s international clients.

The HMMWV Family

M1151 Hummers are 4-door Enhanced Armament Carriers, while M1152s are 2-door Enhanced Troop/ Cargo/ Shelter or weapon carriers. M1152P1s are ambulances. All are based on the same “A2” chassis as the M1114 up-armored Humvee and the M1151 in particular may be hard to tell apart because it looks very similar. The big difference is that the M1151/ M1152 design has armor that can quickly be installed and uninstalled from the vehicle by the crew members themselves, without requiring special lift tools. As an Armor Holdings LLC release noted back in March 2005:

“The M1151 and M1152 will be armored to specified levels in the production process and will be fitted to allow rapid addition of add-on-armor in the field using limited tooling and manpower.”

The M1165 HMMWV is a 4-door HMMWV Enhanced Troop/ Cargo/ Shelter Carrier on an ECV (Expanded Capacity Vehicle) chassis, contracted in 2006 to combine the roles of the M1097A2 ‘HMMWV Truck’ (vid. its shortcomings) and M1113 models.

All of these vehicles have had some changes made as a result of experience with the harsh environment of South West Asia, rising payload demands to accommodate the weight of armor, and some feedback from the field. As a result, the US military has begun fielding “Reliability Enhanced” M1151, M1152 and M1165 model HMMWVs.

Once pressed into service, the HMMWVs are up-armored, typically with “Frag Kit 5” or the newer and even heavier “Frag Kit 6” or “Frag Kit 7” armoring, which can make it difficult for troops to close their doors without assistance. The weapon station also receives additional gear, usually either the OGPK (Objective Gunner’s Protection Kit) turret, or remote-control weapons like the CROWS system. “Frag Kit 7” vehicles receive an improved OCP turret design instead, and additional, removable overhead protection.

The under-buying trend from the Army is no accident. FY 2011 will see the Army cease purchases of HMMWVs entirely. Instead, they will focus on repairing and fielding existing Army stock, discarding or devolving those that would be too difficult or expensive to fix, and moving ahead with more protected vehicles like the MRAPs. Other services will continue to purchase HMMWVs in 2011, however, with a request for 860 HMMWVs: 413 in the base budget and 447 more in supplemental/OCO funding, “to replace inventories of HMMWVs that have reached the end of their service life.” These would be divided among the USMC (94), USAF (391), and USN (375).

Contracts and Key Events, FY 2009-2011

M1151 HMMWV, new(click to view full)

All orders are issued and managed by the U.S. Army Tank & Automotive Command in Warren, MI. Unless the entry says otherwise, the contractor is AM General, LLC in South Bend, IN. Coverage closes at the end of FY 2011.

Sept 27/11: AM General LLC in South Bend, IN receives a $46.3 firm-fixed-price contract modification for 306 HMMWVs, various models. Work will be performed in Mishiwaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of March 30/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received by U.S. Army Contracting Command in Warren, MI (W56HZV-10-C-0405).

Aug 29/11: A $130.9 million firm-fixed-price contract modification will buy 904 HMMWVs. Work will be performed in Mishiwaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of March 31/12. One bid was solicited, with one bid received (W56HZV-10-C-0405).

Aug 2/11: A $199.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 8,500 various power packs (engines etc.) for the High Mobility Wheeled Vehicle Program: about $25,506 each. Work location will be determined with each delivery order, with an estimated completion date of July 31/13. The bid was solicited through the Internet, with 5 bids received by the Directorate for Contracting at Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, TX, which specializes in rebuild/reset work among its various responsibilities (W911RQ-11-D-0019).

As one might imagine, HMMWV engines have improved over the years. Since 2000, AM General subsidiary General Engines Products’ Optimizer 6500 has replaced the original GM diesel engine, optimizing the torque to 385 lb.-ft. at 1,800 rpm, and to 190 hp at 3,400 rpm in a 756-lb. engine.

March 10/11: A $546.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 2,845 HMMWVs of various models. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Jan 31/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W56HZV-10-C-0405).

March 9/11: A war of words between US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Rep. C.W. Bill Young [R-FL] appears to have ended with $613 million in HMMWV funds diverted to fund intelligence-gathering gear and other equipment requested by Gen. Petraeus for Afghanistan.

The Pentagon originally wanted to divert $863 million in HMMWV funding, and Rep. Young has made the interesting assertion that the US Marines are interested in funds to upgrade their existing HMMWV fleet with more survivable versions. The Marines are known to be chafing about the JLTV program’s direction, and firms are offering those kinds of changes, but Gates stated that he had no knowledge of any such requirement. The Hill.

Dec 17/10: A $211.5 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,263 HMMWVs of various models. Work will be performed in South Bend, IN, with an estimated completion date of June 30/11. One bid was solicited with one bid received (W56HZV-10-C-0405).

Sept 29/10: A $6.4 million firm-fixed-price contract for 11,000 FK5 improved door hinge kits. Which are a very good idea, when door armor is adding hundreds of pounds of weight.

Work is to be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Sept 30/12. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-C-01-S001).

June 8/10: An $8.2 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 50 Humvees to contract. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

June 7/10: An $18 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 100 Humvees. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

June 1/10: A $6.8 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 50 HMMWVs to the contract. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

May 7/10: A $54.3 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 500 HMMWVs to the contract, versions unspecified. Work is to be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

April 5/10: A $7.7 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 50 HMMWVs to the contract, version unspecified. Work is to be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

April 1/10: An $11.1 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 94 HMMWVs to the contract, version unspecified. Work is to be performed in Mishawaka, IN with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

March 26/10: A $318 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 2,122 Hummers to contract. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/10. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

Jan 15/10: A maximum $93.4 million firm-fixed-price sole-source requirements-type contract in support of HMMWV industrial base requirements. Work will be performed in Indiana, Pennsylvania and Texas. There was originally 1 proposal solicited with 1 response received by the Defense Supply Center Columbus in Ohio. This contract is for 1 base year and 4 possible 1-year option periods. The date of performance completion is January 2012 (SPM7LX-09-D-9001).

Oct 15/09: A maximum $26.2 million firm-fixed-price, sole-source contract for the integrated logistics partnership contract in support of HMMWV requirements. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, Chambersburg, PA, and Texarkana, TX. There was 1 proposal solicited with 1 response. This requirements type contract is for 1 base year and 4 one-year options periods. The date of performance completion is January 2011. The Defense Supply Center Columbus in Ohio manages the contract (SPM7LX-09-D-9001).

M1151 w. Frag Kit 7(click to view full)

Sept 30/09: A $60.1 million firm-fixed-price contract for 335 Hummers. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S-001). Sept 30/09 marks the end of FY 2009.

Sept 30/09: A $55.2 million firm-fixed-price contract for 373 Hummers. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S-001).

Sept 30/09: A $25.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 165 Hummers. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S-001).

Sept 30/09: A $17.7 million firm-fixed-price contract for 113 Hummers. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S-001).

Sept 17/09: A $283 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 1,746 Hummers. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

Aug 7/09: A $124.2 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 843 Enhanced Armor HMMWVs to the contract. Work will be performed in Mishawka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid solicited with one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

June 17/09: A $27.7 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 218 Hummers. Work is to be performed in Mishawaka, IN with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid solicited and one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

April 29/09: A $14 million firm-fixed contract to add 88 Hummers to their existing to contract. Work is to be performed in Mishawaka, IN with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited and one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

“In response to an Operational Needs Statement (ONS) from the field for overhead protection, PM, LTV has accelerated the development and production of FRAG 7, producing the kit in less than 6 months in partnership with Industrial Base Operations- Rock Island Arsenal (IBO-RIA) and AM General Corporation… A majority of the M1151 fleet will be retrofitted with this new enhancement. FRAG 7 was designed to give the commander on the ground the flexibility to use all or a portion of the kit depending on the unit’s mission.

FRAG 7 introduces the ARDEC developed and Army Depot produced Overhead Cover (OHC), which provides the capability for the gunner to view the battlefield without compromising safety. Fitted with transparent armored glass, the OHC provides protection from the sun, while still allowing the gunner to maintain situational awareness. A removable roof appliqué is also included to shield occupants from overhead threats, as well as new Load Range “E” tire and wheel assemblies that will provide increased reliability and durability compared to the current tire and wheel assembly. The BAE developed Vehicle Emergency Egress (VEE) window will also be included. It provides additional egress options through the driver and passenger side windows. The new armor suspension kit (ASK) will also be provided, this new suspension will increase durability and compensates for the additional weight placed on the vehicle… FRAG 7 will also include the latest safety enhancements for the M1151, to include a battery back up to the current Fire Suppression System (AFES), and a Manual “3rd Bottle” Fire Suppression System (MFES) for 1st responders. A new brake line kit will also be included to help reduce brake fade that may occur due to the added weight along with a fuel filler door cover kit that prevents unauthorized access to the fuel filler and added armor protection to the edge of the doors.”

Of course, front-line USAF personnel had developed the similarly improved “Chavis Turret” to protect gunners, back in 2007.

Feb 3/08: A $510.8 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 3,401 Hummers. Work is being performed at Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited and one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

Feb 2/08: Bogert International Inc. in Pasco, WA received a $16.6 million firm-fixed-price, 5-year indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity contract for HMMWV lifting jacks. The minimum order is 10,000, and the maximum order is 108,243. Work will be performed in Pasco, WA, with an estimated completion date of Jan 23/14 (W56HZV-09-D-0060).

Jan 2/09: A $54.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for 1,698 Enhanced Armor HMMWVs. Work will be performed at Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited and one bid received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

M1151 w. Frag Kit 6(click to view full)

Dec 31/08: A $252.2 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 1,698 Enhanced Armor HMMWVs. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited and one bid was received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

Dec 31/08: Friction Product Co. in Medina, OH won a maximum $10 million fixed price with economic price adjustment contract for HMMWV brake parts. There were originally 3 quotes requested by the Defense Supply Center Columbus (DSCC), Columbus, OH, with 3 responses. Contract funds will expire at the end of the current fiscal year, and this contract ends on Nov 11/09 (SPM7L3-08-M-2351).

Dec 16/09: A $17.2 million firm fixed price contract for 146 Enhanced Armor HMMWVs. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited and one bid was received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

Nov 4/08: A $100.4 million firm-fixed-price contract to add 853 Enhanced Armor HMMWVs. Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. One bid was solicited and one bid was received (DAAE07-01-C-S001).

Oct 22/08: A $179.6 million firm-fixed price contract for “High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled vehicles to contract.” Work will be performed in Mishawaka, IN, with an estimated completion date of Dec 31/09. Bids solicited were via Broad Agency Announcement, and 9 bids were received (DAAE07-01-C-S-001).

Oct 16/08: It isn’t just about the orders, or work by the contractor. The USMC runs a feature covering their Maintenance Center Albany, which stood up its current HMMWV production line in March 2007. Since then, more than 756 additional HMMWVs have been sent there for “Inspect and Repair only as Necessary” service, with an initial repair cycle time of 70 days per unit. Process improvements have now cut that time to to 23 days. approximately 80 HMMWVs per month are now coming off the MCA line, and projections call for production to gradually increase to 100 units per month by spring 2009.

The number of workers supporting the HMMWV line directly and indirectly at Maintenance Center Albany totals approximately 190.